India Philanthropy Forum 2025: Building Data, Shaping Intention

The India Philanthropy Forum 2025 brought together leaders, philanthropists, and innovators to explore how data, technology, and intentional giving can drive large-scale social impact. The day underscored the power of collaboration and emphasized the importance of building resilient, inclusive systems for the future. Held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Forum drew strong participation from Yale Institute for Global Health affiliates. Members from YIGH’s Sustainable Health Initiative (SHI), including staff, alumni and supporters, and faculty from the Yale-India Health Faculty Network (FN), joined the event, highlighting the strong connections between Yale and partners across India.

A key feature of the program was the NGO Spotlight, where Dr. Ruchit Nagar, CEO and co-founder of Khushi Baby, shared the organization’s remarkable trajectory. Khushi Baby’s origins trace back to a class project at Yale’s Center for Engineering Innovation and Design (CEID), which went on to win the inaugural Thorne Prize for Social Innovation in Health or Education at the Yale School of Public Health. The venture later became part of the SHI program, receiving mentorship and support to refine and scale its model. What began as a student-led idea has since evolved into a national public health data platform, now reaching over 80,000 frontline healthcare workers across India. With a major commitment from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Khushi Baby is advancing the creation of data-driven, responsive public health systems that have the potential to transform care delivery nationwide. Today, the organization not only continues to grow its reach but also hires and trains numerous Yale alumni, extending the impact of the university’s innovation ecosystem into the field.

The Forum also spotlighted women’s leadership in philanthropy through the panel “Leading with Intention: What happens when women shape philanthropy?” Panelists reflected on how women are influencing both philanthropic priorities and the systems through which capital flows. Dr. Sunita Maheshwari, a Yale alumna and longtime supporter of SHI, emphasized that when women play a central role in decision-making, philanthropy becomes not only more equitable but also more resilient and future-oriented. Together with her husband, Dr. Arjun Kalyanpur, she established the Kalyanpur–Maheshwari Grant for Global Health Innovation, which provides funding to SHI student ventures. Her remarks at the Forum underscored the evidence that investing in women and girls delivers lasting returns for families, communities, and economies.

The conversations continued into the evening at the Yale India Health Network (YIHN) dinner, which brought together close collaborators and partners committed to advancing health innovation. YIHN is the latest addition to the Faculty Network program hosted by YIGH and is a multidisciplinary collaboration of Yale faculty members working with researchers, policymakers, and communities in India to improve health outcomes. Hosted alongside the Forum, the dinner served as a convening of the Yale-India Health Alumni Network, a Yale-based community of alumni, faculty, staff, and affiliates engaged in research, education, and partnerships in India. The evening provided a space not only for reflection and connection, but also for identifying opportunities to strengthen Yale–India collaborations. Discussions touched on ways to expand mentorship for student innovators, deepen faculty engagement across disciplines, and leverage the momentum of SHI ventures working in India. Building on the gathering, there is interest in advancing joint projects and ensuring that the relationships forged through the Forum and dinner translate into sustained impact.

Throughout the Forum, one message was clear: the convergence of data, innovation, and intentional philanthropy presents extraordinary opportunities to shape the future of health and social impact in India. From national-scale platforms like Khushi Baby to the influence of women leaders in philanthropy, the India Philanthropy Forum 2025 reaffirmed that transformative change is possible when vision and collaboration align.